Composition containing phenolic condensation products.



UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

LEO H. B AEKELAND, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO GENERAL BAKELITE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

COMPOSITION CONTAINING PHENOLIC CONDENSATION PRODUCTS.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LE0 H. BAEKELAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yonkers, in the county of \Vestchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Composition Containing Phenolic Condensation Phoducts, of which the following is a specification.

In my prior United States p'atents and applications I have described several processes of forming objects consisting of the condensation products of phenols and formaldehyde, or containing such condensation products compounded with inert filling materials. For example, as described in my U. S. Patents Nos. 942,699 and 942,700, patented December 7, 1909, if a mixture of phenol or its homologues and formaldehyde or its polymers be heated, alone or in presence of catalytic or condensing agents, the

formaldehyde being present in about the molecular proportion required for the reaction or in excess thereof, that is to say, approximately equal volumes of commercial phenol or cresylic acid and commercial formaldehyde, these bodies react upon each other and yield a product consisting of two liquids which will separate or stratify on standing. The lighter or supernatant liquid is an aqueous solution, which contains the water resulting from the reaction or added with the reagents, whereas the heavier liquid is oily or viscous in character and contains the first products of chemical condensation or dehydration. The liquids are readily separated, .and the aqueous solution may be rejected or the Water may be eliminated by evaporation. The oily liquid obtained as above described is found to be soluble in or miscible with alcohol, acetone, henol and similar solvents or mixtures o the same. This oily liquid may be further submitted to heat on a wateror steam-bath so as to thicken it slightly and to drive off any water which might still be mixed .with it. If the reaction be permitted to proceed further the condensation product may acquire a more viscous character, becoming gelatinous, or semi-plastic in consistence, and may even become solid and brittle when cold, again melting when gently heated. This modifi cation of the product is insoluble or incompletely soluble in alcohol but soluble or par- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

Application filed December 2, 1909. Serial No. 581,000.

tially soluble in acetone or in a mixture of acetone and alcohol. All such condensation products are hereinafter referred to as partial condensation products and may be subjected to further treatment as hereinafter described. By sufficient heating, any partial condensation product is transformed into a hard body, hereinafter referred to as the final product. This .final product is unaffected by moisture, insoluble in alcohol and acetone, infusible, and resistant to acids, alkalis and almost all ordinary reagents. It is suitable for many purposes, and may be employed either alone or in admixture with other solid, semi-liquid or liquid materials, as for instance asbestos fiber, wood fiber, other fibrous or cellular materials, rubber, casein, lampblack, mica, mineral powders as zinc oxid, barium sulfate, etc., pigments, dyes, nitrocellulose, abrasive materials, lime, sulfate of calcium, graphite, cement, powdered horn or bone,

pumice stone, talcum, starch, colophonlum,

resins or gums, slate dust, etc., in accordance with the particular uses for which it is intended, and in much the same manner as india rubber is compounded with the above-named and other materials to yield various valuable products. In compound- "ing the condensation or dehydration product in this manner the desired materials are mixed with the same before submitting it to the final hardening operation. I have found that the presence of certain organic substances in the final product may determine a softening action on the latter, which is especially pronounced at comparatively high temperatures. Such additions impart new and valuable properties to these bodies, in that they are rendered plastic or capable of welding under pressure, yielding thereby compact and coherent masses, bodies or articles, es ecially if the pressure be aided by heat. uch organic bodies as naphthalene, anthracene or other suitable fusible hydrocarbons having a relatively high boilingpoint, anilin, phenols, or other phenolic bodies, pitch, asphaltum, cumarin resin, other resinous matters, parafiin, and in general such substances as exert some solvent action, however slight, upon the initial or partial condensation products of phenols 'and formaldehyde and form therewith a solid solution, can be used for this purpose.

The fact as above mentioned that such organic bodies persist in the final product and have a softening effect thereon is an indication that they form a so-called solid solution with this final product also.

The substances as described above may be added to the initial reacting chemicals,or

cles from the final condensation productsof phenols and formaldehyde.

condensation products can be formed by the simple application of heat, without. the use of special precautions for avoiding the production of spongy or irregular masses, and whatever the shape of the final mass may be it can be easily introduced into suitable molds, preferably after being comminuted, and can then be pressed or consolidated into the desired shape. The latter operation is greatly facilitated by the use of temperatures exceeding 100 v (1, and. preferably greatly exceeding this temperature, whereby the softening effect is increased.

By the term phenols in the present specification and claims I intend to designate not only ordinary phenol but its homologues or other phenolic bodies or mixtures thereof, which are equivalent to phenol for the purposes of this invention. Instead of formaldehyde, I may use the polymers of formaldehyde, or in general such substances as are able to engender formaldehyde in suitable condition.

In some cases it is suflicient simply to use v an excess of phenolic bodies, so that after the reaction'is over the final product contains an excess of'such phenolic bodies, which thus impart the Welding properties described above. Or again, the reaction may be started with the proper proportions of phenols and formaldehyde, but may be conducted in such manner that during the heating a large amount of formaldehyde is expelled or does not combine, thus producing a final product which contains an excess of uncombined phenolic body capable of acting-as a softening agent, and render Indeed, these ing the mass capable of welding as above described.

The process of molding herein described is claimed in my application Serial No. 170,991, filed May 25, 1917, as a division hereof.

I claim 1. As an article of manufacture, particles or fragments of an infusible composition containing a phenolic condensation product in solid solution With an organic substance, said composition characterized by the fact that after transformationinto its final state particles or fragments the 'eof are capable of being welded into compifot and coherent masses under thexaction of heat and pressure. y

2. As an article of manufactur particles or fragments of an infusible co position containing a phenolic condensation roduct in solid solution with an organic substance which is insoluble in Water, said composition characterized by the fact that after transformation into its final state particles\ or fragments thereof are capable of being\ Welded into compact and coherent under the action of heat and pressure.

3; As an article of manufacture, particles or fragments of an infusible composition containing a phenolic condensation product in solid solution with a cyclic body of high boiling-point, said composition charactermasses ized by the fact that after transformation into its final state particles or fragments thereof are capable of being welded into compact and coherent masses under the action of heat and pressure.

4.. As an article of manufacture, particles or fragments of an infusible composition containing a phenolic condensation product in solid solution with a fusible cyclic hydrocarbon of high boiling-point, said composition characterized by the fact that after transformation into its final state particles or fragments thereof are capable of being Welded into compact and coherent masses. under the action of heat and'pre'ssure.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\ LEO H. BAEKELAND. 

